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Staff Systems Engineer

Dulles, Virginia, United States
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer(LSE) Level 5 to join our team in Dulles, VA. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

The LSE will be the Lead Engineer driving the discussion on setting the technical baseline (and participating on baseline roadmap discussions at a higher level) for a mature product that is looking to significantly ramp up production. The responsibilities includes both individual-contributor and leadership roles, within a multi-disciplined engineering team. Successful candidate will also be called upon to support other activities, including architecture studies, mission support, and traditional Systems Engineering functions. In this leadership level role, the Lead Systems Engineer is expected to be self-directed using previous experience to lead design, analysis and execution efforts. Candidates must be able to recognize and mitigate space segment technical issues and risks while operating within budget and on schedule.

This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

Your Role and Impact:

  • Lead/Provide major support to the entire space segment technical team.
  • Lead and optimize space vehicle design, processing and mission success.
  • Troubleshoot and develop solutions to complex problems that the program may encounter.
  • Develop, author and/or provide input to major program data products and other deliverables.
  • Technical management of program elements
  • Plan and conduct of reviews and technical baseline
  • Write status and technical performance reviews and reports
  • Mentor, coach, train, guide, direct and advise junior staff
  • The candidate will work with cross-discipline team members and must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work with a diverse community of engineers and managers to achieve the goals of the program team.

If this job description reads like it was written specifically for you, consider joining our team!

This position is contingent upon the candidate obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of professional experience or Master’s degree with 10 years of professional experience or PhD with 8 years of professional experience R
  • Requires an active U.S. Government Top-Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope
  • Experience in systems engineering and integration of complex systems, including space systems development, manufacture, test or operations, including previous technical or project leadership positions
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills and technical presentation experience
  • Understanding of spacecraft detailed design, integration & test
  • Complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts in the field. General knowledge of other related disciplines
  • Must be proactive. Works under only general direction. Independently determines and develops approach to solutions

 Preferred Qualifications:  

  • Experience in system architecture & CONOPs development
  • Current SCI access, Current Program Access
  • Experience withing the SSP OU family of programs and products
  • Experience with high rate of manufacture defense systems

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space

#NOVASPACE

Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States, building advanced systems across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company is known for some of the most complex defense programs in the world, including stealth aircraft, autonomous systems, missile defense technologies, satellites, and space-based intelligence platforms that support U.S. national security operations.

For job seekers, Northrop Grumman offers careers across a wide range of high-impact fields including aerospace engineering, software development, cybersecurity, systems engineering, manufacturing, program management, and intelligence support. The company is especially attractive to veterans, cleared professionals, and engineers who want to work on mission-critical systems that directly support the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Many roles involve long-term programs with significant technical depth and real-world operational impact.

Unlike smaller defense startups focused on narrow capabilities, Northrop Grumman operates across multiple major mission areas, giving employees exposure to highly advanced programs such as stealth platforms, space systems, autonomous vehicles, and next-generation command-and-control systems. The company is also a major leader in classified space and intelligence systems, where cutting-edge engineering and secure infrastructure play a critical role in national defense.

As global competition in space, cyber, and advanced military systems continues to intensify, Northrop Grumman remains one of the most strategically important employers in the defense industry. For professionals seeking stable, highly technical careers with long-term impact on national security, Northrop Grumman continues to stand out as a leading destination in aerospace and defense.

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